MATCH REPORT: Formidable Astley in Cookson Glory
Astley were winners of round two of the Northern Fours league at a sunny and dry Cookson track this afternoon.
Team Green finished on 51 points, with Steve Harris (unbeaten), Reece Pollitt and Pawel Idziorek winning eight races between them. Bury Comets belied their bottom of the table league position to take runners up spot on 46 points. Stockport were third on 43 points, Jake Read in imperious form to finish with a 16 point maximum (including setting the fastest time of 38.62 in heat 10. Hull were fourth on 39, Dave Hemsley and Nathan Everett with a couple of race wins each. Sheffield (29) just held on to edge out Heckmondwike (28) for fifth place. Sheffield were tied for third at half time on 20, but could manage only 9 points in the second half.
Scorers
Sheffield Stars – Kielan Burton 8, Laura Watson 6, Luke Morton 10, Niamh Morton 5.
Stockport – Ben Higham 12, Devon Campbell 9, Louis Wright 6, Jake Read 16, Ewan Ferreira DNR
Astley – Kyle Holland 5, Steve Harris 12, Pawel Idziorek 14, Reece Pollitt 15, Mick Knowles 5.
Bury – Kris Ramsden 14, Kaysor Mohammedi 11, Neil Howarth 12, Danny Taylor 9, Eryk Motala DNR
Heckmondwike – Darren Kent 9, Thomas Kent 8, Justin Naylor 4, Frank Auffret 7.
Hull – Dave Hemsley 14, Nathan Everett 14, Will Alvey 4, Jack Lister 7.
Referee – Andy Schofield (Hull)
Pic by Justin Naylor shows a crowded pits area.
Sheffield were surprise winners of the junior league, three debutantes seeing the Stars total 199 points. Astley were runners up on 190. Then it was Bury (49), Hull (30), Heckmondwike (28) and Stockport (16).
Aiden Green (A and T) won the under 10’s (which featured 14 riders) with a 16 point maximum. Edward Balfour (Sheffield) runner up with 15.
Scorers
Aiden Green (A and T) 16, Edward Balfour (Sheffield) 15, Noah Lyon (Hull) 14, Oliver Banyard (Sheffield) 13, Imogen Mackenzie (Sheffield) 13, Oscar Belt (A and T) 12, Sam Dunphy (Bury) 11, Levi Edwards (A and T) 11, Freddie Warn (A and T) 11, Jess Hammett (Sheffield) 10, Erin Balfour (Sheffield) 7, Alfie Williams (Sheffield) 7, Bobby Dunphy (Bury) 6, Aliesha Green (A and T) 5.
Ewan Ferreira (Stockport) and Tom Morrissey (A and T) both scored maximums in the under 13’s as they didn’t race each other.
Scorers
Ewan Ferreira (Stockport) 16, Tom Morrissey (A and T) 16, Charlie Burgess (A and T) 12, Duncan Whalley (A and T) 11, Oliver Mackenzie (Sheffield) 9, Tom Dunphy (Bury) 7, Lewis Skitterall (A and T) 5, Kieran Perkington (Sheffield) 4.
Just two riders rode in the under 16’s. Kielan Burton (Sheffield) winning all four races for a 16 point maximum. Harry Radford (Bury) scored 9, getting a last race exclusion after taking Kielan off the track.
Referee – Kyle Holland (A and T)
Emily Burgess (A and T) won a close Womens contest, winning two races for a 13 point score. Both Sheffield riders, Laura Watson and Niamh Morton, won once each.
Scorers
Emily Burgess (A and T) 13, Laura Watson (Sheffield) 12, Niamh Morton (Sheffield) 11, Chloe Warn (A and T) 4.
Reece Pollitt (A and T) won the three rider Div One event, winning three races for a 15 point score. Nathan Everett (Hull) was runner up on 13, winning the last race after a surge from last to first on the second turn of lap one. Kyle Holland (A and T) scored 8 after some entertaining early laps.
The Under 19’s and Div Two riders combined. Darren Kent winning the Div Two with a 16 point maximum, which included two excellent passes. Will Alvey and Eryk Motala both scored maximums as they didn’t race each other. Steve Perkington (Sheffield) rolled back the years, he last rode for Sheffield some 20 years ago, being competitive until the fitness levels gave in.
Scorers
Under 19’s – Will Alvey (Hull) 16, Eryk Motala (Bury) 16
Div Two – Darren Kent (Heckmondwike) 16, Mick Knowles (A and T) 14, Will Banyard (Sheffield) 12, Thomas Kent (Heckmondwike) 12, Steve Perkington (Sheffield) 10, Steve Mann (Bury) 8.
Referee – Chas Whalley (A and T)